Iowans weigh Trump’s legal woes as they decide who to back in caucuses

By Arit John, CNN

Ames, Iowa (CNN) — Teresa Garman has attended decades worth of Iowa caucuses, but views Monday’s meeting as the most consequential.

Despite forecasts predicting negative temperatures, the 86-year-old Ames resident said the cold wouldn’t deter her from showing up to back Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis – even if she doesn’t think he’ll beat former President Donald Trump.

“I think Trump is probably going to win the Iowa caucus and hopefully DeSantis will be next,” Garman, a former Iowa state representative, said ahead of a DeSantis event here. She said she hoped the Florida governor would come in second “just in case Trump isn’t able to run.”

Trump – and his myriad legal troubles – have loomed large over the GOP presidential primary, especially as Republicans in the Hawkeye State make their final decision on who to back in Monday night’s caucuses. Polls have shown the former president with a commanding lead over the field both in Iowa and nationally, even as he faces four indictments and awaits a Supreme Court decision over efforts to remove him from the ballot in Colorado.

In interviews, Iowans expressed an array of opinions on Trump’s legal problems, from anger over what they say they believe is a “witch hunt,” echoing the former president’s criticism, to a desire to move on and focus on issues plaguing the country.

Trump’s rivals have taken different approaches to manage those views. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley refers to the “chaos” that follows the former president. DeSantis, who often says Trump “is running for his issues” while he runs on voters’ issues, has also argued the legal challenges would be a distraction in a general election.

For his part, Vivek Ramaswamy has instead leaned into defending Trump. This week, the biotech entrepreneur filed an amicus brief supporting the former president’s efforts to remain on the Colorado ballot. He has also started telling voters that voting for him is the best way to save Trump.

In a YouGov/CBS News poll conducted last month, 58% of likely GOP caucus voters said they would support Trump, 22% said DeSantis, 13% said Haley and 4% said Ramaswamy. Among those who were considering voting for Trump, 54% said one of the reasons they’re for him was to show support during his legal struggles. Among those who were not considering the former president, 57% said Trump was controversial and 48% said they were concerned about his legal issues.

The former president and his allies have made the legal fights a key part of the campaign. Trump made two optional court appearances this week – a federal court of appeals case hearing over whether he has presidential immunity and closing arguments in his New York civil fraud case – while his surrogates and rivals campaigned across Iowa.

During a brief speech at the Machine Shed, a popular restaurant in Urbandale, Donald Trump Jr. blasted prosecutors and the various cases against his father, which he baselessly described as a broader conspiracy orchestrated by President Joe Biden.

“What’s nice about it, as brutal as it is for us to deal with on a daily basis, is they’re showing their hand,” Trump Jr. said. “You understand the game that they’re playing.”

Marian Webster, a 69-year-old from Urbandale who attended the event, said she’s been for Trump since the day he came down the escalator at Trump Tower to announce his 2016 bid and expected the primary season to end quickly in his favor. She echoed the former president, calling the charges against him a “political witch hunt” and blamed Biden.

Asked if she’s concerned about “chaos” following Trump – Haley’s common refrain – Webster said she wasn’t.

“I know the chaos has nothing to do with Trump,” she said. “It’s all the Democrats.”

Trump’s rivals have faced increased pressure to draw sharper distinctions between themselves and the front-runner, as polling has not shown a competitive race for the nomination. When it comes to his legal challenges, candidates have focused on Trump’s electability.

“If Trump is the nominee, it’s going to be about January 6, legal issues, criminal trials,” DeSantis said during a CNN debate Wednesday.

Sandy Wigdahl, an Ames resident in her 50s who attended a DeSantis event at Jethro’s BBQ, said she preferred that the Florida governor focused on voters’ issues instead of getting caught up in “political theater.”

“I think what they’re doing to Trump is not right. It’s not good,” she said. “But we need to pick a president, so we want to know what the person is going to do about the issues that we care about.”

Dan Boyle, an Iowa voter who attended a Haley event in Ankeny outside Des Moines, said that while the former UN ambassador needs to choose her words better, he’s only interested in caucusing for her.

Asked if he would vote for Trump in the general election if he becomes the nominee, Boyle said he wasn’t sure.

“He’s got a lot of noise right now. He’s got a lot on his table,” Boyle said. “I think he’s a good man. I think he does a lot of good things… but yeah, I don’t know if I’ll be voting for him.”

Even some of Trump’s staunchest supporters worry about his electability.

At a house party in Clive for Ramaswamy Thursday night, Pat Goodman, a 57-year-old from West Des Moines, asked the candidate what he thought Trump’s biggest mistake was. Goodman said that while he liked Trump’s policies, he’s debating between caucusing for Ramaswamy or DeSantis because he doesn’t think Trump can draw independents and moderates in a general election.

“I like all of the policies that he implemented as president, and I felt like his tweets were sometimes unpresidential,” Goodman said. “I think that that drives other voters away from him, even though I think he was an excellent president for the things that he did and accomplished.”

Ramaswamy, Trump’s most vocal defender in the race, has taken a unique approach to running against the former president, by arguing it would be better for Trump if Ramaswamy wins.

Loren Sherman, a 41-year-old from Waukee, attended the Ramaswamy house party in a “Save Trump Vote Vivek” shirt, which included a black and white picture of Trump’s mugshot outlined by the shape of Iowa. Sherman said the shirt was part of a swag bag he received from the campaign as a precinct captain.

“I think that Vivek is, in a roundabout way, even better for Trump than Trump being in there,” Sherman said. “Vivek will pardon him, and he has eight years ahead of him, instead of just four.”

CNN’s Ebony Davis, Kit Maher and Veronica Stracqualursi contributed to this report.

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